animal of the day

Animal of the day: Spix's macaw! (Cyanopsitta spixii) You may recognize these vibrant, sky-colored birds from a certain animated film, where the two main characters belonged to this species! Previously extinct in the wild, now anywhere between 52-60 reintroduced macaws roam freely in the scrublands (known locally as the caatinga) of Brazil! They feed on nuts and fruits found in their native environment and are highly social animals that stay with their flock! Image source: https://abcbirds.org/bird/spixs-macaw/

Animal of the day: Menelaus blue morpho! (Morpho menelaus) The Menelaus blue morpho is perhaps one of the most recognizable species of butterfly! This sapphire-colored insect is native to the forests of Central and South America! They feed on rotting fruit from trees and spend their days flitting about the rainforests! Their wings have superhydrophobic properties, which allow them to be cleaned of any dust or dirt when a drop of water lands on them! image source: https://stock.adobe.com/search?k=%22morpho+menelaus%22&asset_id=1000018106

Animal of the Day is back! Animal of the day: Brazilian wandering spider! (Phoneutria fera) The Brazilian wandering spider is a large species of spider native to South America's rainforests! The females are usually larger than the males, and these spiders spend the majority of their early lives in the trees and most of their adult lives on the forest floor! It has medically significant venom capable of producing a severe systematic reaction in humans! Females will commonly take care of their young and oversee their early lives! Image source: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/53390-Phoneutria-fera

Animal of the day: Beach woodlouse! (Armadillidium album) The beach woodlouse is a small isopod species inhabiting coastal regions in Europe! They enjoy beaches with a specific sand grain size and sometimes venture into salt marsh habitats! These pale isopods are known to make burrows in sand and driftwood and are highly resistant to saltwater! They reach maturity at 12 months and females carry six eggs during the incubation period! Unfortunately, they also have incredibly short lifespans of two years, but they seem to make the most of it! Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armadillidium_album

Animal of the day: Jaguar! (Panthera onca) The jaguar is the Amazon's most famous predator! However, it also ranges north into Central America and has been sighted frequently in southern Texas! It can be differentiated from the leopard through careful observation; while leopards are tall and slender, jaguars are more heavy-set and stocky! The spots, known as rosettas, of jaguars contain dark marks within them, while leopards' rosettas do not! They also have incredibly strong jaws, with their bite force being recorded at 1,500 PSI! Jaguars have been regarded as symbols of strength and mystery by the native people of the Amazon for thousands of years do to their bravery and elusiveness! Image source: https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/jaguar-in-the-amazon-jungle-gm1184028419-333130929

Animal of the day: Axolotl! (Ambystoma mexicanum) The axolotl is a paedomorphic salamander species native to Lake Xochimilco in Mexico! Unlike most amphibians, the axolotl retains most of its juvenile features during adulthood, as seen in the individual above! Although critically endangered in the wild, they do exceptionally well in captivity, and are commonly bred as pets! They have the unique ability to regenerate many parts of their body, including limbs, gills, tails and parts of their brains! The most commonly kept coloration of axolotl is white with pink gills, the leucistic variation, and the individual above is the wild-type or base coloration that exists most commonly in the wild! The axolotl is actually named for the Aztec deity Xolotl, the god of fire and lightning, who according to legend transformed into one of these fascinating creatures to avoid persecution from his fellow gods! CONSERVATION NOTE: If you are considering buying an axolotl, ensure that you get one from a breeder you know does not source their stock from the wild, and NEVER purchase a "firefly" colored axolotl! Image source: https://exopetguides.com/axolotl/axolotl-colors/

Animal of the day: Marbled polecat! (Vormela peregusna) The marbled polecat is a small mustelid species native to the steppes and deserts of Asia and mountains of southern Europe! Their eyesight is limited and as such they rely on their potent sense of smell to interact with their environment! They normally prey on ground squirrels and mice, and sometimes will eat insects and fruit! Image source: https://featuredcreature.com/marbled-polecat-honey-i-shrunk-your-spotted-hyena/

Animal of the day: American bison! (Bison bison) These massive bovines are native to the western United States and Canada, though they once ranged throughout the southern portion of the North American continent! A bison is featured on the emblem of the National Park Service and Wyoming's state flag! They were once the main food source for Plains Native Americans, and their pelts were used to build shelters and garments! In modern times, this species has been reintroduced to Mexico and even introduced to parts of Siberia to replace the extinct steppe bison! Though they may appear docile, one should never approach a wild bison due to their highly volatile temperament and territoriality. On several occasions, tourists have become severely injured because they strayed too close to a bison. Image source: https://www.oneearth.org/species-of-the-week-american-bison/

Animal of the day: Greenland shark! (Somniosus microcephalus) The Greenland shark, also called the gurry shark, is considered to be the longest-lived vertebrate species, with the oldest specimen ever found estimated to be around 272 to 512 years old! They inhabit coastal waters of the Arctic and North Atlantic, feeding upon seals, cod, crabs and squid! They move incredibly slowly underwater, but when hoisted onto land or a boat, they thrash with an intensity powerful enough to knock a full-grown man on his bottom! According to one account, the Greenland shark is so extremely hard to kill because of its tough, aged muscle fibers! Unfortunately, the Greenland sharks are vulnerable to bycatch due to their long lifespans; they only reach sexual maturity at 150 years of age and have an approximate gestation period of 8 to 10 years. Interestingly, the Greenland shark is entirely inedible if the meat is not treated correctly due to the presence of toxins in the flesh. Image source: https://www.vichighmarine.ca/greenland-shark/

The sable is a member of the mustelid family, which includes the weasels and polecats! Sables inhabit forested areas in Siberia and other parts of East Asia! Their name comes from ancient Russian languages and became part of the English language through the medieval fur trade! They are skilled climbers and hunters, usually feeding on small mammals and wild berries! Sometimes, they will follow wolf or bear tracks to a fresh kill and pick apart the leftovers! Image source: https://creatures-of-the-world.fandom.com/wiki/Sable

Animal of the day: Woolly chafer beetle! (Sparrmannia flava) The African woolly chafer beetles are among the few insects that actually have a fur-like coat! Although not truly fur, it aids in retaining warmth during cold desert nights! They are attracted to lights, much like moths, and are able to fly! The chafer beetle feeds on vegetation found in its arid environment! Image source: https://www.reddit.com/r/awwnverts/comments/q3ot6o/african_woolly_chafers_are_so_cute/

Animal of the day: Common raven! (Corvus corax) Since time immemorial, the raven has been considered an omen of death, and understandably so! In antiquity, ravens would follow armies onto the battlefield and lie in wait until the battle was over and they could feed on the deceased! They have also been regarded as symbols or even companions of several old gods, including Apollo and Odin! Ravens boast an incredible vocal repertoire and are able to mimic speech, much like parrots do! Perhaps the most fascinating thing about these birds, however, is their intelligence; in the wild, ravens frequently form close bonds with gray wolves in a form of symbiosis and are sometimes observed playing tug-of-war with wolf pups! Image source: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/raven

Animal of the day: Bat-eared fox! (Otocyon megalotis) The bat-eared fox, also called the motlosi or cape fox, is not a true fox; rather, it is a member of its own genus Otocyon, much like the maned wolves of South America! These small canids are closely related to the raccoon dogs and true foxes! They are actually a basal lineage of canid, which makes them one of the oldest branches of their family tree! In their wild habitat of Africa, bat-eared foxes usually congregate in small family groups, as seen above with a fox and its two kits! Their large ears aid in thermoregulation and allow them to hear their prey rustling through the tall grass with more ease! Image source: https://www.jameswarwick.co.uk/kenya-library/bat-eared-fox-family-nature-wildlife-photography-james-warwick

Animal of the day: Snowberry clearwing hummingbird moth! (Hemaris diffinis) The clearwing hummingbird moth is a North American species of moth, inhabiting Canada and some parts of the United States! It uses its long proboscis to sip sweet nectar from flowers and has a bumblebee-like coloration, leading gardeners to sometimes believe that they are looking at a bumblebee instead of a moth! It even emits an audible humming sound with its wings, much like bees and of course, their namesake, the hummingbirds! The larvae of this species enjoy plants such as honeysuckle and dogbane! Image source: https://www.hummingbirdcentral.com/hummingbird-moth.htm

Image source: https://oncafari.org/en/especie_fauna/marsh-deer/

Animal of the day: Aardwolf! (Proteles cristata) The aardwolf is a member of the Hyaenidae family, which includes the spotted, striped and brown hyenas! Unlike its relatives, it is primarily insectivorous and consumes termites instead of larger animals, the flesh of which the aardwolf actually dislikes! When it is threatened or excited, the long hairs on its back and tail will raise, making the aardwolf seem larger than it really is in order to scare potential threats! Older aardwolves, due to not needing sharp teeth to consume their primary diet of termites and beetles, will often lose their teeth! Image source: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aardwolf

Image source: https://tucsonaudubon.org/bird_profile/house-sparrow/